caro
mio
a news radio 780 wbbm
restaurant review
by
sherman kaplan
broadcast july 13, 2001
there is no valet parking, no greeting desk, and no pretensions of any
sort at caro mio, a genuine neighborhood restaurant at 1825 w wilson avenue.
it has been a long time since I have found such real warmth like that at caro
mio, where the name, my dearest, says all.
the floor looks like marble, though it is probably vinyl. But there is nothing
disingenuous about the cooking which has true home-style quality.
if calamari is to your taste, be sure to order the lightly oiled calamari
salad, with pink rings just oozing flavor. Our waitress, who was as pleasant
as possible, also recommended the fried calamari (calamari fritti),
confiding that it is more fattening, wink…wink. other antipasti are similarly
tempting, from grilled eggplant baked with marinara and mozzarella, or the eggplant
rollup that is not on the menu, but is usually available. if mushrooms are your
turn on, you can get an order sautéed in olive oil with the usual standbys
of the italian kitchen--white wine, garlic and marinara sauce (funghi provencal).
though dinners come with a choice of soup or salad, there are some ala carte
salad selections that deserve attention. among then is and italian version of
potato salad, a green bean salad with balsamic vinegar (insalata di fagioli),
oregano and garlic or tomato and onion salad with gorgonzola cheese among its
flavor high points.
caro mio is a fine spot for ordering course by course, and including pasta as
one of them. try cavatelli, among a selection of home made noodles,
of gnocchi or ravioli. sauces can range from a traditional
bolognese baked in a casserole with gnocchi (gnocchi bolognese)
to a fantastic and rich porcini and wine sauce (pappardelle con porcini),
which I suspect is spiked with sweet marsala. if there was any flaw in our evening’s
selections it may have been the intensity of the mushroom and wine sauce, reduced
to a point in which its seasonings took on a salted aftertaste.
elsewhere, meat, poultry and seafood entrees run a range of familiar Italian
staples. for example, there are chicken, veal or salmon vesuvio, as
well as chicken cacciatore and beef rollups around a stuffing of parmesan
cheese, marinara sauce, white wine and seasonings (beef brasciole). I ordered
chicken arrabiata with a pepper sauce that lived up to, of not beyond
expectations. this sauce looked so laden with the likes of peppers, eggplant,
ad onions, that I would have mistaken it for a rich cacciatore, except for it
distinctive flavor.
for dessert--tiramisu, ricotta cheesecake or spumoni were
among the waitress’s suggestions. the restaurant has no liquor license,
but feel free to bring your own wine, with no corkage charge. otherwise
expect to spend about $60 a couple for three courses.
caro mio has a k/rating of 17.25/20
ambiance/décor 3/4
hospitality 5/5
food 8.5/10
value 1/1
read more sherman kaplan restaurant reviews in north shore magazine